The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-06-18
THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
III.
(Practical.)
BY REV. AUGUSTA ]. CHAPLIN.
(Oak Park, ILL

By REV. AUGUSTA ]. CHAPLIN
(Oak Park. ILL.,
Jesus authorizes every believer in his
gospel to expect the gift of the Holy
Spirit. Searching through the New
Testament, considering and comparing
passages in which the name or its equiv
alent occurs, we come to some appre-
hension of what is to be practically un-
derstood by it. We have the phrases,
''in the power of the spirit - "full of
the spirit )" ''in the spirit; y worship
ing, living, walking, sowing and reap
ing, praying and ministering in the
spirit, and so on all the way through.
From such passages it is clear that a
holy and consecrated, an exalted, and
even, at times, ecstatic condition of the
believers mind and heart, is what is
meant. 1t is the indwelling presence
of God in the soul-a presence so per-
vading, and overmastering, that it be-
comes a distinct consciousness-th
spirit witnessing with our spirits, that
we are really, what intellectually we
believe ourselves to be, the children of
God. Jesus expresses it as the unity
of the soul Of the human child with the
divine Father. He prays that he may
be the means of bringing his disciples
into this divine unity with the Father,
! even as he himself is one with him !;
'Thou in me, and l in thee, that they
also may be one in us.''
This condition of the human spirit
or mind, is something so radically diff
ferent from common earthly moods, or
from the dull, religiously unawakened
state, that it seems something bestowed
from without. 1t is the infowing Of
the divine into the open-the now re-
ceptive-human heart. We have &C
cordingly whole, large class of New
Testament texts which speak of the
giving and receiving of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus calls it the Comforter who
should come with inspiring power into
their hearts, and take the place of his
living voice and presence. His going
away would reveal to them the power
of the spirit within their own souls.
This was nothing less than the inspira-
ton of God. And we find that the
New Testament fully sustains the view
that the presence of God in the soul, is
not only an uplifting power, but a re-
vealer of truth and duty that would not
otherwise be discerned.
Jesus says: "When he," the Com
forter, sis come, he will convict the
world in respect of sin, and of right
eousness, and of judgment" "When
the spirit of truth is come, he will guide
you into all truth" "The Comforter
which is the Holy Spirit, whom the
Father will send in my name, he shall
teach you all things" "When the
Comforter is come, whom I will send
unto you from the Father, even the
spirit of truth which proceedeth from
the Father, he shall bear witness of
me-" Many other passages are of SIM
liar import, as when Simeon recog-
nized the infant Messiah, through the
Holy Spirit which was upon him.
The apostles, in their preaching, con-
stantly promise the gift of the Spirit,
as when Peter cried to the multitude
on the day of Pentecost Repent, and
be baptized every one of you, in the
name Of Jesus Christ, for the remission
of SINS and We shall receive the gift of
the Holy Spirit" One who has received
the gift of the Spirit feels it and knows
it. There can be no doubt about it.
One who has really experienced this
baptism will not ask, in the words of
that old hymn, still found in the collec-
tions of all denominations
do love the Lord or nor
Am his or am not?"
He will know that he does love; and
that he does belong to the Lord. Such
questions are essentially unchristian.
They are the language of sinner not
more than half in earnest in his repent
ance. I repeat that one who has come
into such an attitude of mind and heart
that he has received the baptism of the
spirit is not in doubt, as to his own dis
position, or the reality of the expert
ence. This is entirely personal con-
Germ. Whatever is not personally known
and felt, is cold, mechanical and lifeless
theology. The invaluable and peculiar
service of Jesus is, that he brings the
Spirit near, aud enables the consecrated
soul to feel that God is present. He
recalls faith from the buried past, and
makes it a present experience. The
word with him is ''now." 1.-THE king
dom of God'' is here" within you"
"God is spirit" only to be worshiped
in spirit. Go to him and whatever you
ask you shall receive.
Faith. that word often SO miserably